Agenda - 12-05-2016 - 6-a - Minutes

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2 1 Town-owned property located on Old NC 86 as an affordable, light manufacturing commercial 2 park. 3 4 Trish McGuire said the property, located across from the Twin Creeks park property, was 5 originally purchased by the town in 2001 to be used for a new public works facility. In response 6 to the Board of Aldermen's interest in expanding opportunities for flex/light manufacturing 7 commercial space, staff has begun studying the property for this alternative use. Preliminary 8 study reveals a building program of approximately 90,000 square feet of warehouse/flex 9 commercial space is possible. The site plan illustrates four (4) 20,000 square feet buildings and 10 the possibility of two or more, smaller 5,000 to 10,000 sq. ft. building footprints. The 11 improvements would be taxable assets with an estimated tax value of$9,000,000, which would 12 result in approximately $79,020 in annual County property tax revenues, $18,756 for the Chapel 13 Hill/Carrboro City School district and $53,046 in town revenues upon annexation into the Town 14 limits. 15 16 The Town is seeking input from the BOCC on development parameters that can be included in 17 a Request for Proposals (RFP). This input will be included in the development of site design 18 criteria and building design elements, required square footage, ownership and leasing terms, 19 including rent controls and other provisions. 20 21 Trish McGuire said the process for gathering input from neighboring property owners is in 22 preparation. The 22 acre parcel is currently zoned RR, Rural Residential, and would need to be 23 rezoned for low impact commercial uses that generate little or no customer trips. 24 The concept is for the town to retain ownership and lease the land to a developer who would 25 construct the project and lease the buildings for a defined period (e.g. 2 to 30 years). The 26 primary goal is to keep the project affordable and therefore capable of attracting and retaining 27 local manufacturers, service providers, craftspeople and artisans. 28 29 She said other elements to be included in an RFP would focus on preserving the feel and 30 character of the property with careful thought be given to the aesthetic and the rural nature of 31 the area. Buildings should have a rural character as illustrated in Attachment la-2. The existing 32 house on the front of the property could be preserved and used as a small retail location, to 33 provide employees and local residents with basic staple groceries and some prepared food. 34 35 As envisioned, the project would require public water and sewer which are available south of 36 this property near Lake Hogan Farms, and a turning lane to accommodate turning traffic which 37 should include employees, services vehicles, and delivery trucks only. The preliminary 38 estimated cost of these improvements is $1,000,000. This cost may be an opportunity for an 39 Orange County—Town of Carrboro collaboration on an economic development initiative. 40 Orange County's role in this proposal would be related to the Joint Planning Area Agreement 41 which includes a review and approval mechanism for a change in zoning. In addition, the 42 Northern Transition Advisory Board would review the proposal. The County would also be 43 responsible for considering a request from the town to partner on utility extensions and 44 infrastructure improvements. 45 46 Mayor Lavelle said this agenda item, and the next, are efforts by the Town to retain 47 these types of commercial sites outside of the Town limits, as they are priced out of being 48 within the Town limits. 49 Alderman Gist said the abstract does not mention social justice impacts, but they do 50 exist with this proposed project. She said the new buildings in downtown Carrboro are too